Anti-rattle safety lock



United States Parent O ANTI-RA'ITLE SAFETY LOCK Thomas B. Boarman, Coronado, Calif. Application March 10, 1958, Serial No. 720,1o8

6 Claims. (CI. 296-44) This invention relates to anti-rattle safety locks and more particularly to a safety lock for preventing the reverse movement of the piovtal side window of an automobile as a means of gaining access into the automobile.

The ventilating windows of most automobiles are mounted adjacent to the roll-up type windows and are separated only by a thin metallic post. This post provides a channel at one side of the roll-up window to form a trackway to guide its movement. The ventilating window is mounted on a vertical pivoting axis and may be opened and closed either by pushing or by operation of a rotatable crank. The rear portion pivots outwardly and the forward end pivots inwardly. This window is usually locked by a slide bolt at the rear operable to be moved inwardly behind the post to prevent the rearward portion from being pried outwardly.

However, it has been found that this window may be pried in the opposite direction to gain unauthorized entrance into the car. The slide bolt is of no value in preventing this type of movement and the post readily gives under pressure. The forward portion of the window abuts a rubber stop member which also gives when the window is rotated in the opposite direction.

The anti-rattle safety lock comprising the present invention consists of a metallic or plastic clip which seats between theinner surface of the window post and the inner bottom edge of the window frame. This clip has a stop lip which engages the top of the bottom window frame edge to limit its downward movement and a resilient non-planar portion to frictionally retain the clip in position. The clip further has an anti-rattle member which engages the glass of the roll-up window to urge it against one edge of the channel of the post to prevent window rattle which is so prevalent in older cars. The clip has a horizontally extending abutting portion which will engage the rearward end of the metallic frame of the ventilating window to prevent its inward movement.

It is therefore an object of this'nvention to provide for a novel anti-rattle safety lock. I

Another object is the provision of a device to prevent the reverse pivotal movement of an automobile ventilating window.

Another object is the provision of an improved clip insertable inwardly of the post separating the ventlating window from the roll-up type window to prevent rattle of the roll-up type window and reverse pivotal movement of the ventilating window. v

Another object is the provision of an anti-rattle safetylock which is easy to manufacture, simple to install, reliable in performance and inexpensve in cost.

Other objeots and features of-the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following specification and appended drawings wherein is illustrated a preferred form of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the safety lock installed with portions of the door broken away to better show its structure and function,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an end View of the clip.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout .the several views, there is shown in Figure 1 a portion of the left front door of an automobile as seen from the driver's seat.

roll-up type windows are found in all doors of automobiles of most makes and models. Here the rear portion of ventilating window 11 is meant to rotate outwardly along a vertical pivoting axs whereas window 12 is of the roll-up type -adapted for vertical movement. The horizontal member -13 is the lower inner window frame edge, while the outer frame edge is designated as numeral 14. Between the windows 11 and 12 is a vertical post 16 which is affixed to the outer frame edge but which, surprisingly enough, is separated from the inner edge and not attached thereto. This post 16 is generally of h-shape configuration in cross-section so that a U-channel 17 is provided .to serve as a trackway along p one edge of window 12. This U-shaped channel is lined' with a material 18 which normally provides a wind and rain proof seal and generally retards window rattIe. i However, through extensive use it has been found that this material wears and the channel, being substantially wider than the thickness of 'the glass, does notprovide the tight seal present when the automobile is new and th window 12 develops a rattle.

The forward portion 19 of the post abuts against th inner rearward vertical edge 21 of 'the ventilating'win dow 1 1 and tends to retard reverse pivotal movement of*` the window. This movement is hereby defined as movement of'the rearward edge inwardly and opposite to its obviously intended direction of movement. This portion is usually rubber lined as shown 'at 22. A rubber stop` lining 23 on the upper surface of edge 13 engages the innerjsurface of the metallic frame 24 in which the ventilating window 11 is fit. attached to the inner frame edge 13 and is actually spaced therefrom as better shown in Figu'e 2. Betweenthe.

post 16 and the inner frame edge 13 is inserted the anti-rattle safety lock 26 which comprises the present invention. v

Safety lock 26 consists of a relatively thin metallic or plastic clip 27 having a flat body portion 28 which fits in between post 16-and edge 13. Vertical slits 29, 31

have previously been cut and strip 32 therebetween has' been 'deformed outwardly to provide a resilient frictional means to prevent withdrawal of the clip. This strip 32 is off center in a rearward direction to prevent rotation of the clip when roll-up window 12 is raised.

The' body portion 28 has a rearward flange 33 projecting outwardly approximately the thickness of one of the walls of channel 17 and thence rearwardly parallel to, and' engageable with, the inner surface of window 12. The abutting surface 34 of fiange 33 engaging window 12 is covered with felt 36 or similar material to prevent Scratching or squeaking as the window is opened and closed. This abutting surface 34 urges window 12 outwardly against wall 37 of channel .17 to prevent window rattle so annoying in older cars.

The top portion of body 28 extends upwardly and folds This is shown for exemplary purposes only since ventilating and` The vertical post 16 is not? preferred embodiment it is to be understood that various other configurations are also encompassed by the spirit of this invention. For example, while the embodirnent shown is readily construction of sheet metal, molded or stamped metallic or plastic parts may also be used. It is conceivable that some way be fabricated without the anti-rattle window engaging flange 33. In this case it may be preferable to reduce the size of the body portion 28 to that shown by dotted line 43 and permit the resilient engagement of loop portion 39 with the inner frame edge 13 to' retan the clip in position. The length of forward extension 42 is also optional with the user as in some types of automobiles the prevention of twisting defiection of post 16 may be sufficient to prevent reverse rotation of window 11.

Since these and other ernbodiments of this invention may be made without departing frorn the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific enbodiments thereof except as defined in the appended clairns.

I claim: I

1. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frame of a window and the inside surface of a vertical post between a roll-up type window and a ventilating window rotatably mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a fiat body portion with an outwardly and rearwardly extending flange to engage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said fiat body portion having an inwardly directed portion engageable with said inner frame and an inwardly directed flange adapted to rest or the inner window frame.

2. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frame of a window and the inside surface of a Vertical post between a roll-up type window and a vertilating window rotatably mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a flat body portion with an outwardly and rearwardly extending flange to cngage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said flat body portion having an inwardly directed portion resiliently and frictionally engageable with said inner frame, said flat body portion having a double thickness at the top thereof and an inwardly directed flange spaced from the top and adapted to rest on the inner window frame.

3. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frame of a window and the inside surface of a vertical post between a roll-up type window and a ventilating window rotatable mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a flat body portion with an outwardly and rearwardly extending flange to engage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said body portion having a pair of parrallel vertical spaced slots defining a strip therein, said strip being bowed inwardly from the plane of said body to resiliently and frictionally engage said inner frame, said fiat body portion having an inwardly directed flange adapted to rest on the inner window frame.

4. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frame of a window and the inside surface of a vertical post between a roll-up type window and a ventilating window rotatable mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a flat body portion with an outwardly and rearwardly extending fiange to engage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said body portion having a pair of parallel Vertical spaced slots defining a strip therein, said strip being spaced rearwardly froni the vertical axis of said body portion, said strip being bowed inwardly from the plane of said body to resiliently and frictionally engage said inner frame, said fiat body portion having a folded portion extending downwardly from the top thereof, said folded portion having an inwardly directed flange adapted to rest on the inner window frame.

5. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frarne of a window and the inside surface of a vertical post between a roll-up type window and a ventlating Window rotatable mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a flat body portion with an 'outwardly and rearwardly extending flange to cngage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said body portion having a pair of parallel vertical spaced slots defining a strip therein, said strip being bowed inwardly from the plane of said body to resiliently and frictionally engage said inner frame, said fiat body portion having a greater thickness extending downwardly from the top thereof, said greater thickness continuing into an inwardly directed loop abutting said body and thence inwardly to form a fiange adapted to rest on the inner window framc.

6. An anti-rattle safety lock adapted to fit on an automobile between the inner frame of a window and the inside surface of a vertical post between a roll-up type window and a ventlating window rotatable mounted on a vertical axis, said lock having a flat body portion with an outwardly and rearwardly extending flange to engage the inner surface of said roll-up window, said body portion having a pair of parallel vertical spaced slots` defining a strip therein, said strip being bowed inwardly from the plane of said body to resiliently and frictionally engage said inner frame, said flat body portion having a folded portion extending downwardly from the top thereof, said folded portion continuing into an inwardly directed loop abutting said folded portion and thence inwardly to form a flange adapted to rest on the inner window frarne, said body portion, folded portion, loop 'and frame engagng flange having a longtudinal width greater than the width of said vertical post so as to extend into the path of reverse rotation of said ventilating window to prevent said reverse rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS nhnn f 

